VESSEL REVIEW | Chaumine – Hybrid-powered newbuild joins CLdN's Ro-Ro fleet
Luxembourg-based shipping company CLdN has taken delivery of a new Ro-Ro vessel built by South Korean shipyard HD Hyundai Mipo.
Chaumine is the first in a new series of two Ro-Ro vessels fitted with IMO Tier III-compliant hybrid propulsion systems consisting of MAN ME-GI 11MW dual-fuel main engines that can run on diesel and LNG as well as 6MW electric motors.
Fitted with systems for emissions reduction and more precise navigation
The newbuild has a length of 234 metres (768 feet), a beam of 35 metres (110 feet), a height of 33.25 metres (109.1 feet), a cruising speed of 16 knots, and a total capacity of 8,000 lane metres of various freight across eight cargo decks. The vessel was designed to have the same capacity as two ships that CLdN has been operating on shortsea routes since 2017.
Three of the cargo decks are hoistable to permit the transport of higher loads such as trailers and buses. A maximum of 510 trailers and 920 cars can be transported simultaneously on a single voyage. Loading and unloading will be done via a stern ramp.
The vessel also boasts a number of key systems to help reduce its environmental impact. These include a selective catalytic reduction system, an exhaust gas recirculation system to minimise methane emissions, and a shore connection that will allow the vessel to draw electrical power from the local grid instead of the onboard generators while in port.
HD Hyundai’s Avicus division supplied the vessel’s collision avoidance and navigation assistance systems. The collision avoidance system is aided by multiple cameras installed throughout the ship and providing a 360-degree view while the navigation assistance system collates sensor data from the other onboard electronics to enable more precise navigation.
Introduced to satisfy growing transport demand
Chaumine and sister ship Leonine, which was also recently delivered, will be operated on CLdN's Northwestern Europe routes in response to growing demand between the continent and the UK, particularly Scotland and Northeast England.
The Ro-Ros may also be modified in the future to accommodate alternative low-emission fuels or fuel cells. A 2.72MWh battery pack is already fitted and can be used in conjunction with the shaft generators to permit power-take-home navigation.
